Executive Lobbying

A bill that would require any person who “lobbies” the executive branch to submit to various reporting and disclosure requirements was significantly amended to address ACLU concerns before being approved. As originally drafted, the bill’s definition of lobbyist was so broadly worded that it would have subjected to onerous registration and reporting requirements social service workers who contacted a state agency on behalf of a client, non-profit agencies that testified at public hearings, and even a person who went to the Governor’s monthly “open house” and raised a concern on behalf of a neighbor. Working with other non-profit groups, and particularly the consulting organization Cause and Effect, the Affiliate helped persuade the bill’s sponsors to significantly narrow the legislation’s scope.